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160 Posts
Let me start by saying I’m not a racing driver.
The only time I have been on a track in a car was at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone for the day, shortly after buying my 718.
I had to recalibrate my brain then as to what the car is capable of.
There’s no way I would find the limits of the car safely on public roads.
( I wouldn’t treat my own car the way they get driven anyway)
On the odd occasion this Summer I have been able to enjoy my 718 on winding country roads when there was no other traffic around.
It will go round corners like it’s on rails, very confidence inspiring. No hint of losing grip at all.
Now Winter is around the corner things are different.
I was driving the car last week the temperature was showing 7c (45f) on the dash, the roads were damp.
I drove fairly quickly along a duel carriageway onto a large two lane roundabout that was going up a small hill.
There was no one else on the roundabout so I pushed the 718 just a little bit more on the roundabout itself and the back end let go and I found myself Drifting the car briefly. I counter steered into the Drift and then gently lifted off the accelerator and the car came back into line without any drama before my turning.
What have I learned from this...
The 718 felt very neutral and controllable when pushed to the edge of the grip, I didn’t have any sense of panic when it happened. Very confidence inspiring, not that I’d want to do it again regularly. Put a big smile on my face.
The other is that when driving in colder, damp and Wintery conditions you have to treat the throttle very gingerly, as the back end will let go easily when pushed. Just need to keep everything smooth.
So if you want to Drift your 718 other than doing it on a race track, drive your car in the Winter.
The only time I have been on a track in a car was at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone for the day, shortly after buying my 718.
I had to recalibrate my brain then as to what the car is capable of.
There’s no way I would find the limits of the car safely on public roads.
( I wouldn’t treat my own car the way they get driven anyway)
On the odd occasion this Summer I have been able to enjoy my 718 on winding country roads when there was no other traffic around.
It will go round corners like it’s on rails, very confidence inspiring. No hint of losing grip at all.
Now Winter is around the corner things are different.
I was driving the car last week the temperature was showing 7c (45f) on the dash, the roads were damp.
I drove fairly quickly along a duel carriageway onto a large two lane roundabout that was going up a small hill.
There was no one else on the roundabout so I pushed the 718 just a little bit more on the roundabout itself and the back end let go and I found myself Drifting the car briefly. I counter steered into the Drift and then gently lifted off the accelerator and the car came back into line without any drama before my turning.
What have I learned from this...
The 718 felt very neutral and controllable when pushed to the edge of the grip, I didn’t have any sense of panic when it happened. Very confidence inspiring, not that I’d want to do it again regularly. Put a big smile on my face.
The other is that when driving in colder, damp and Wintery conditions you have to treat the throttle very gingerly, as the back end will let go easily when pushed. Just need to keep everything smooth.
So if you want to Drift your 718 other than doing it on a race track, drive your car in the Winter.
)
